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Recently here on FitEyes, readers have asked about the relationship between intraocular pressure about meditation. That prompted me to write this post about some of the broader spiritual aspects of what I do as well as how I view intraocular pressure in my own life and in my work as a Serene Impulse teacher.

Can you please tell me why TM is not good for Glaucoma.

Dianne

I just wish I could say one way or the other whether these practices affect my intraocular pressure.

And I also wish we knew if your theory is correct: that as a person continues to do TaiChi and/or EFT, their intraocular pressure settles down.

Mary

Interesting new study showing benefits of drinking green tea.  So if it works for lab rats, will it work for us?

Excerpt from the following website: http://solarhealing.com/process/

Safe Sungazing Practice
Sungazing is practiced once in your lifetime -- usually for a period of 9 months.  You can break up the practice in three phases: 0 to 3months, 3-6months and 6- 9months.  You have to walk barefoot for 45 minutes for the rest of your life. ...

It's common knowledge that steroids (eg, Flonase) taken for allergies can present a problem for those predisposed to glaucoma.

But... I'm wondering if the allergy itself (the immune system response, and/or the inflammatory reaction) could tend to cause (or worsen) glaucoma?  This URL (http://www.peacehealth.org/kbase/cam/hn-1022006.htm ) is the best I could find, but it cites quite old studies:

 Hi Dave, I am a student of anesthesia and am doing research on IOPs in patients who are in head-down positions for surgery. We are finding at our institution that even in patients without glaucoma, significant increases in IOP are occurring during longer procedures and may be associated with increased risk of post-operative blindness or partial visual loss. I am part of a team studying this issue and my specific offshoot of the research is on patients who present with glaucoma.

Try these they are free

http://selbysolution.com/audio_uplifts__1/uplifts_menu?aid=js-ss

I have recently started the salt/iodine detox protocol. There are some interesting observations I think.

First of all, initial reaction (basal body temperature increase, noctural and diurnal IOP drop by ca 3pts) has been very positive.

I am using eyedrops: timolol maleate and pilocarpine.  After a week on both, I'm feeling uncharacteristically  low and negative.  Both list depression as side effects.  I'm wondering what experience others have had re: eyedrops and depression.   Know any remedies?  I hope, I'll be off these two in a couple of weeks!  They also blur my vision.

JudyPat4

There's a fascinating discussion of the tradeoffs b/n these three "equivalent" medications, in the Review of Ophthalmology journal, at: http://www.revophth.com/index.asp?page=1_25.htm

Glaucoma is known as the silent thief of sight because (in its common forms) there is no pain and no other symptoms until the damage has been done.

I don't have glaucoma, I have high IOP due to prolonged use of steroid drops. I know when the pressure is high, I can feel it. Firstly I get a pulsing, this means the pressure is up to about 25-30 then I get feelings of pressure and lastly if i blink fast I can see black striations in the shape of my iris.

I do use once a week lemon drop, it has rules to do it. the lemon should be fresh and you cut it with a clean knife , and it should be at night before bed time. I squeeze one drop in each eye. and when Iwent to the dr. it droped from 21 to 14 which is great. I know it hurts a lot for few seconds then I feel cool in my eyes. " I wonder if anyone tried this"? I got the from my 90 years aunt who died and she had 20/20 eye vision and can thread the string in the needle.

Does anyone have any experience with Ozone therapy? 

My naturepathatic doctor is encouraging me to try it and there are numerous studies (outside the USA) which seem to indicate that Ozone is a viable therapy for Glaucoma.

Thanks!

The Zeo ($250, amazon.com) sleep analysis device has turned out to be entertaining, but I can't say that it has turned up any info useful for glaucoma management, with the exception that it has encouraged me to get more sleep.  In particular , for every night they compute a "Z score" (1..100) to rate the quality of your sleep - since I'm competitive, I've been trying to beat my Z-score each night.  Kind of silly, but on the other hand getting more/better sleep is good for overall health...

 I have read studies indicating that central corneal thickness is a risk factor for glaucoma. Studies show that the thinner the cornea, the higher the glaucoma risk  (for example, African Americans generally have thinner corneas). However, I have also read studies indicating that thinner corneas are a risk because they give falsely low readings on applanation tonometry. Therefore, I have the following questions:

1) Are thinner corneas a higher risk factor irrespective of giving falsely low readings?

It looks like I am joing the club. I will be starting a yet to be determined med to reduce IOP shortly. What is the concensus on this forum with respect to the best medication (eye drops) .

 Here is what i have noticed after several months of recording my eye pressures. 

• I can sometime detect an immediate correlation between a 'negative' or stressful thought (or anxiety) and an increase in my eye pressure.
• read more...

I have been to four specialists in the US recently, among them: dr Ritch and dr Tillotson. I wanted first of all to have a second opinion on my condition (as my local doctor was recommending an eye surgery) and to potentially finetune/improve my treatment.